Putting-out machine



March 14,1939. J H,CONNOR v 2,150,264

PUTTING-OUT MACHINE FiledJan. 13, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 AWE/rm? M H ,W

March 14, 1939. H CONNOR 2,150,264

" PUTTING-OUT MACHINE Fil ed Jan. 13, 1937 5 -sheets-sheet 2 March 14, 1939.' J H. CONNOR PUTTING-OUT MACHINE Filed Jan. 15, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 MEN //VVE/V7UE f H aw March 14, 1939. CONNOR 2,150,264

PUTTING-OUT MACHINE Filed Jan. 15, 1937 5 Shets-Sheet 4 I maf b 135 I44 734 v I March 14, 1939. J. H. CONNOR PUTTING-OUT MACHINE Filed Jan. 15, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Mar. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES I O F Fl E PUTTING- OUT MACHINE! Application January 13,

16 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for treating hides and skins. While the invention is illustrated as embodied in a machine for performing putting-out operations on freshly tanned hides and skins it is to be understood that the invention and various important features thereof may have other applications and uses.

It is an object of the invention to operate a tool, adapted for treating hides or skins, in such in manner that the tool will travel in various directions over the surface of the hide or skin to suit the requirements of different portions thereof. It is a further object of the invention to operate a plurality of sets of tools simultaneously in substantially opposite directions over a hide or skin while treating certain portions thereof and to move these sets of tools at different angles to each other while treating other portions of the same hide or skin, whereby the hide or skin is treated by the tools While controlled in such manner as to secure the best results for the different portions of each hide or skin.

To these ends, and in accordance with an important feature of the invention, there are provided a plurality of sets of tools arranged to move 25 along paths extending directly away from each other while operating upon an intermediate portion of the hide or skin, means being provided for moving the sets of tools into different angular relationships to each other during treatment of 30 other portions of the hide or skin including, for example, front and rear shank portions thereof.

Conveniently, the sets of tools are mounted on members arranged to overlap each other at said inner ends so as to ensure treatment of all portions of a hide or skin in an organization wherein means is provided for swinging the tool carrying members about pivot points to change the angular relationship of the paths of sets of tools moving in opposite directions over certain portions of each hide or skin, whereby intermediate portions of each hide or skin may be treated while sets of tools are moving directly away from each other along lines at right angles to the backbone line of the hide or skin and whereby the front or rear shank portions of the same hide or skin will be treated by tools moving along lines related to the axes of said shank portions.

For presenting pieces of work to sets of tools arranged to move along different paths angularly related to each other, there is provided a conveyor movable over a table which is vertically projectable in timed relation to the conveyor moving means to press a piece of work on the conveyor against the tools during operative movement of the latter. Conveniently, the conveyor is provided with spaced work supports upon each of which a piece of work may be preliminarily spread out for treatment by such tools, means being provided for operation in timed relation to 1937, Serial No. 120,425

the conveyor moving means and to the tool operating means to lift the table to the work treating plane to secure treatment of a work piece on one of the work supports and thereafter to lower the table to facilitate proper positioning of a fresh piece of work with respect to the sets of tools at the beginning of the operation upon such piece of work.

In the illustrated construction, the arrangement is such that a tool is mounted on a carrier pivotally supported at one end by a shaft which furnishes the source of power for driving the tool in an arrangement wherein the carrier is supported at its other end by a second shaft having connections to shift the carrier about its pivot point on the first-mentioned shaft, whereby the path of the tool over the surface of the hide or skin is changed to meet the requirements of different portions of the skin.

Ihese and other important features of the invention and novel combinations of parts will now be described in detail and then pointed out more particularly in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a putting-out machine illustrating one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line II-II of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig, 3 is an enlarged detail view of one tool carrier and its operating means taken along the line III-III of Fig. 8;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view along the line V-V of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view along the line VI-VI of Fig. 3;

Figs. '7, 8' and 9 are top plan views of both tool carriers, showing them in different angular relationship to each other when operating upon different portions of a hide or skin; and

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view in side elevation and. partly in section of an endless work supporting member.

In the illustrated machine, which is designed particularly for putting-out operations. on hides and skins, there is provided a plurality of sets of tools in the form of slicker blades I2 (Figs. 2, 3 and l) mounted in sets upon endless conveyor chains H! in an arrangement wherein each chain is supported by a carrier l5 mounted in pairs (Figs. '7, 8 and 9) upon opposite sides of the longitudinal median line of a work support l8. It is to be understood that the tool carrying conveyor may be a belt or a chain of a type other than that illustrated. As shown most clearly in Figs. 7 to 9, inclusive, the two carriers it on the same side of the machine are connected together near their outer ends by a link 20 pivoted. at its ends to the carriers, the result being that the carriers IS in each pair are maintained in parallel or nearly parallel relationship, although they may shift relatively to each other in a longitudinal direction, as indicated most clearly in Figs. '7 and 9. Associated with each pair of carriers near their inner ends is a second link 2! which is pivoted to one carrier and has its other end resting on the top of the other carrier and slidable thereover. If desired the link 2! may be secured at this slidable end by a pivot bolt which is movable along a suitable slot in the carrier iii. The reason for this arrangement resides in the fact that one carrier of each pair is longer than the other and hence the pivot points of the carriers are not symmetrically placed as they would be if the carriers were of the same length and always moved in parallelism. Pivoted to the parallel links as and 2! of each pair of carriers it, at the centers of said links, is a cam slot member 22 having slidably engaged in a cam slot 24 (Figs. 3, 7, 8 and 9) thereof a cam slide member 26 (Figs. 3 and 6) T-shaped in cross section, as most clearly seen in Fig. 6 of the drawings. The cam slide member 26 is shown as part of the stub shaft 28 (Fig. 6) secured for rotation in a bearing 35) carried by an arm 32 (Fig.3) pinned to the lower end of a driven shaft 3 (Figs. 2 and 3) This shaft 3 2 not only supports one end (Fig. 2) of the pair of carriers It (to the left in Figs. '7, 8 and 9) but also rotates in a clockwise direction and constitutes part of the means for moving the two sets of carriers into different angular relationships to each other, as will here-- inafter be described. The right pair of carriers (Figs. 7, 8 and 9) is supported and operated by a shaft 35 which rotates in a counterclockwise direction.

Journaled in the inner end of each carrier i6 is a vertically arranged shaft the (Figs. 2, 3, '7, 8 and 9), or one of the other similar shafts Mia, 48b, Mid. the said inner end of the carrier l6 being provided with a bearing 42 in which the shaft 400 (Fig. 3) is journaled, said shaft being provided with thrust bearings at M and it. The shaft ide is thus constructed to serve as a support for the inner end of its associated carrier 5 6, the thrust bearing Alt taking a substantial part of the Weight of the carrier i6 together withthe parts supported by said carrier, while the thrust bearing 46 serves as a backing member for the adjacent end of the carrier !6 when the Work is pressed upwardly against the slicker blades 62 during operation of the machine. The shaft Mic also serves as a source of pov er for driving the endless tool carrying chain M on its associated carrier it. For this purpose the shaft Mic is provided with a pinion as (Figs. 2 and 3) in mesh with a pinion 59 (Figs. 2, 3 and i) on a stub shaft 5i mounted parallel to the shaft Mic in a bearing block 52. Carried by the shaft 5i of the pinion 58 is a miter gear 55 which is constantly in mesh with another miter gear 58 (Fig. 4) secured to a short shaft 68 mounted in a bearing 62 carried by the carrier l5. On the outer end of the shaft E fi is a sprocket wheel fi l (Fig. 3) about which passes a sprocket chain. 66 arranged to pass also around a sprocket 68 on a stub shaft it carried by a bracket 12 attached to a vertical wall portion of the carrier I6. As" shown most clearly in Figs. 2, 3 and 7 to 9 inclusive, the shaft ill is provided with a second sprocket wheel l l aboutwhich passes a sprocket chain 76 which also passes around a sprocket wheel l3 (Fig. 2)

the slicker blades l2.

to drive a shaft 80 j ournaled in a bracket carried by the vertical Wall of the carrier l5. Upon the other end of the shaft Bil there is secured a sprocket wheel 82 (Fig. 3) about which passes the tool carrying chain Hi to which are secured The chain I llalso passes around a sprocket Wheel fl-l carried at the end of a bracket 86 secured to a vertical bracket 88 fixed to.the vertical wall of the carrier IS. This sprocket wheel 84 is made as small as is practical in order that the space between. the slicker blades at the middle line of the machine may be as small as possible. For backing the operative run of the chain I l along the lower side of the carrier it, there is provided a bar 96 supported at one end by the bracket 3% and at its other end by a similar bracket 92. Secured rotatably in an arm 94 pivotally mounted at 95 in the carrier !6 is an idler sprocket 93 in engagement with the upper run of the conveyor chain 5 which carries the slicker blades ii, a rod 1'85) being pivotally connected to the outer end of the arm 9a and being adjustably mounted in a bracket M2 secured to the carrier 56 so that adjustment may be made in an upward direction of the idler sprocket 98 to tension to the desired degree the chain or link belt l4. v

. As indicated most clearlyin Fig. 8 of the drawings, the space EM between the inner ends of one pair of tool carrying chains M is staggered with respect to the space 566 between the inner ends of the other pair of chains M, so that, as the skin its travels along in the direction of the arrows, no untreated portion will be left adjacent to the backbone line of the skin, as would be the case if the space between the inner ends of one pair of chains were in line with the space between the other pair of chains or link belts. In this connection, it will be readily understood that the chains or link belts Hi to the right of the median line of the skin'lflil in Fig. 8 are so driven that their lower or operative runs are moving toward the right while the operative runs of the chains i l to the left of said median line of the skin are moving toward the left, whereby the two sets of slicker blades 12 to the right are moving away from the sets of slicker blades to the left in said figure. 'I-Ience the blades not only remove watery material from the skin being operated upon but also stretch the contacted portions of the skin in opposite directions from the backbone line thereof as the blades 52 pass successively over the surface of the skin during movement of the 'latter continuously in a plane which is substantially the plane of the operative edges of the blades.

Upon inspectionrof Fig. 8, it will be observed that the front shank portions fill, at the neck end of the skin SE28, extend along axes at a substantial acute angle to the backbone line of the skin and that the rear shank members H2 of the skin Hi3 also extend along axes at another acute angle to the backbone line of the skin. In order to operate upon these shank portions of the skin effectively and, at the same time, to obviate as much as possible the tendency to turn over the edges of these shank portions and/or to displace them from their natural relationship to the rest of the skin, I have provided means for moving the pairs of tool carriers 55, on opposite sides of the median line of the work support, into different'angular relationships to each other in accordance with the portion of the hide or skin to be treated. While the middle or intermediate portions of the skin I88 are being treated, the

, riers described pairs of carriers I6 extend more or less in line with each other upon opposite sides of the backbone line of the skin, as most clearly shown in Fig. 8. This alinement of the two pairs of blade-carrying chains lasts for only an instant. There is a gradual shifting to the angle shown in Fig. 9. As the skin N38 is moved along by the table I8 in the direction of the arrows on the backbone line of the skin, the angular relationship of the two tool carriers I6 at the left in the same figure is changed with respect to the tool carriers at the right so that, by the time the rear shank portions I I2 are under the action of the blades I2, the angular relationship of the two sets of carriers is that shown in Fig. 9. It will be noted that the blades I2 over the shank portions IE2 in Fig. 9 are not traveling along paths parallel to the" axes of said shank portions indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 8. If the blades were to move only along the axes of the shank portions I I2 there would be no stretching of these shank portions in directions away from the individual axis of each shank but only in a direction along the axis. In the latter case the shank members would be lengthened along each axis but would be correspondingly narrowed or drawn in, instead of being spread out. With the blades located as shown in Fig. 9, their action is to spread the shank portions H2 as well as to lengthen the latter, the result being a spreading out of the shank pieces to the full extent that it is practical to obtain in a machine of this type. In the interval between the action on the rear end shank members IIZ of the hide or skin I98 and the time of action on the front shanks Iii! of a succeeding skin, the two pairs of tool carriers I6 are shifted with relative rapidity from the angle shown in Fig. 9 to that shown in Fig. 7, the result being that, as the second skin Hi8 approaches the sets of slicker blades, the front shank portions N9 of the skin I08 are operated upon with the sets of blades in the angular relation to each other shown in Fig. '7. In this figure the blades I2 appear to be moving in a direction almost parallel to the axes of said shank portions III]. It is to be remembered, however, that the relationship between the blades I2 and the shank portions iii! in Fig. 7 is maintained for an instant only, since the skin I 08 is traveling continuously in the direction of the arrow at its median line. A good part of the time the blades are traveling at an angle to the axis of the shank portions IIO so that these shank portions are stretched laterally of their axial lines as well as along such lines.

It is to be noted that the space I94 between two of the sets of blades extending crosswise of the skin I98 and the space I99 between the other two sets of blades are upon opposite sides of the longitudinal median line of the machine and that these spaces are each roughly rectangular in shape in Fig. 8, and that these same spaces Hi4, I96 are substantially triangular in shape in Figs. 7 and 9, due to the shifting of the pairs of car- IE into different angular relationships. Nevertheless these spaces Iii l, Hi6, notwithstanding their changes in shape, are still staggered with respect to each other, so much so that they are substantially on opposite sides of the longitudinal median line of the skin, thus insuring that all portions of the work piece will be treated while the skin is passing from one end to the other under the sets of blades.

In explanation of the statement above, that the right and left sets of carriers are moved with relative rapidity from the angular relationship shown in Fig. 9 to that of Fig. '7, it is pointed out that the operating shaft 34 (Figs. '7, 8 and 9) is rotated in a clockwise direction and hence that the are through which the slide member 26 (in the end of the arm 32) is moved to get from the position of Fig. 9to the position of Fig. 7, is very much less than the are through which this same slide member 26 moves in traveling from the position of Fig. '7 to that of Fig. 8 and on to that of Fig, 9. The same facts apply to the movements of the shaft 35 which differs from the shaft 34 only in turning in a counterclockwise direction. Hence, the movement of the tool carriers from theposition of Fig. '7 through that of Fig. 8 to that of Fig. 9 is much slower than the movement of the same carriers from Fig. 9 to Fig. 7. In other words, the movement from the position of Fig. 9 to that of Fig. '7 is much faster, about twice as fast, although the rate of rotation of the shafts 34 and 35 is uniform throughout.

For driving the shafts 34, 35 and 4911, there is provided a power shaft I (Figs. 1 and 5) at the top of the machine arranged to be driven by any suitable means, for instance by a motor I22 through a belt I24, and a pulley I26 fixed on the raft I29. At one end, the shaft I29 has secured thereto a miter gear I 28 which is constantly in mesh with a miter gear I39 keyed to the upper end of the shaft 49a. Splined to the shaft 49a is a pinion I32 in mesh with a pinion I34 loose upon the upper end of another long vertical shaft 4% which is directly in front of the shaft d-Ela mentioned above. This pinion I34 is in mesh with a large gear wheel I36 (Figs. 1 and 2) at the upper end of a stub shaft I38 which carries also a pinion I40 in mesh with a large gear wheel M2 secured to the upper end of the shaft to drive the latter in a counterclockwise direction. The pinion I32 (Fig. 5) splined on the shaft 48a (Figs. 1 and 5) is also in mesh with a large gear wheel 144 carried by a stub shaft I45 which also carries a pinion I48 in mesh with a large gear I56 secured tothe upper end of the shaft 34 to drive the latter in a clockwise direction. The shaft 49a also has splined thereto a pinion I52 (Fig. 5) in mesh with a pinion I54 at the upper end of a stub shaft I56. Said pinion M34 is in mesh with a pinion I58 keyed to the shaft 49b which is directly in front of the rearmost long vertical shaft a of Figs. 1 and 5. Through this intermediate pinion I54 the shaft 4% is driven in the same direction as the first-mentioned rearmost shaft 40a.

Upon reference to Figs. 7, 8 and 9 it will be observed that the shaft 49a has fixed thereto at its lower end a pinion I63 which is constantly in mesh with a pinion I62 fixed to the lower end of the vertical shaft 49c whereby the shaft 490 is driven by the shaft a and in the reverse direction with respect to the latter. At the lower end of the vertical shaft 4% there is secured thereto a pinion IE4 arranged to be constantly in mesh with a pinion I66 keyed to the shaft 40d to drive the latter in the reverse direction from the shaft 491). It will be noted, upon inspection of Figs. 7 8 and 9, that the pairs of pinions iGO, 62 and the pairs of pinions I64, E66 remain in mesh with each other at all times irrespective ofthe fact that the carriers it supported by the shafts 49a, 40b, 400, 4912 change their angular relationship to each other very substantially, as indicated in said figures.

Mounted at the right side of the machine in Figs. 1 and 2 is a vertical shaft 290 having fixed .75

gear 284 (Fig. 2) in mesh with a miter gear 206 fixed upon a horizontal shaft 208 mounted in suitable bearings in the frame of the machine.

On the other end of the shaft 208 is a miter 2H1 in mesh with a larger miter gear 2H2 secured to a sleeve 2! 3 rotatable on a vertical shaft 214 which is positioned at the center of gravity of a table 255 and is rigidly attached to the latter.

Hence the shaft 2M will move up and down with the table but is fixed against rotation. Also secured to the rotary sleeve H3 at its upper end is a cam'member 2E6 having high and low parts upon which runs a cam roll 218 rotatably mounted on a block 220 splined to the shaft 2M for vertical movement on the latter. It will be apparent that, during rotation of the sleeve H3 and of the cam member Zlfi, the block 220 will be alternately lifted and lowered at predetermined intervals. Pivoted on the block 220 at 22! a lever Z22 carrying at its inner end a roll 224 held continuously against a block 226 (fastened to the shaft 2M) by a weight 228 which may be increased or diminished as may be found desirable. Movement of the lever 222 in one direction is limited by projection 235 rigid with the lever. Upward movement of block 220 is transmitted to the table 2l5 yieldingly through lever 222. The timing is such that the table 2l5 is lifted to press one of the work supports [8 against the blades 12 of the four bladed chains M. For guiding the table 255 for direct up and down movement there are provided a plurality of posts 232 se-. cured to the table and slidable in hollow stand-' ards 234 secured to the machine frame, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

Conveniently, and as indicated in Fig. 10, there are a plurality of flexible work supports l3 carried by an endless conveyor belt 235 comprising sprocket chains 233 in mesh with sprocket teeth 24! (Fig. 2) on large rolls 242. For driving one of the rolls 2 52, an extension of its shaft zcc, which is mounted in bearings in the frame of the machine, has secured thereto a large sprocket wheel 2% about which passes a sprocket chain 24 also passing about a smaller sprocket wheel 25B pinned on the shaft 238. It follows that the work supports 18 on the endless belt 2-36 are moved along in properly timed relation to the upward movement of the table 285 and to the operation of the bladed chains I4 which are driven, as above described, through mechanism interconnected with the shaft 2% which constitutes driving mechanism for the conveyor 235 and for the operating mechanism of the table 255. It will be understood that, in place of'the flexible work supports l8 (Figs. 2 and 10) there may be utilized separate, relatively inflexible work supports arranged to travel along with the endless conveyor 236, in which case the work pieces and work supports are removed together after treatment of the work piece by the blades l2.

In operating the machine disclosed in the drawings, a hide or skin is placed upon one of the work supports 58 while the conveyor belt 23% is moving in a direction to carry said work support under the sets of work treating blades !2, a reasonable amount of care being taken to spread the hide or skin out with the hands, not with the idea of extending the hide or skin in such a way.

as to stretch it out but simply to place it in condition to be operated on properly by the differentsets of blades l2. It will be understood that the hide or skin is carried under the sets of blades l 2 while the table H5 is in depressed position and that the table 'is lifted to press a piece of work on a work support 98 against the blades 52 when the forward part of the work support has brought the neck and front shank portions of the hide or skin under the blade carriers, as indicated in Fig. 7. As the skin travels along with the work support it, the blades, moving outwardly in sets in opposite directions from the median line of the work support, put out watery material from the hide or skin and also stretch it in opposite directions from the backbone line thereof, the angular relationship of the sets of blades at the beginning of the operation being such as to treat most advantageously the forward neck portions of the skin and also the front shank portions thereof. As the skin continues to travel in the direction of the arrows (Figs. 7, 8, 9), the blade carriers 16 gradually change their angular relationship until they are in direct line with each other when the middle portions of the hide or skin are reached. In this position of the blade carriers, the blades operate along paths leading directly away from each other so that these inter- V mediate portions are stretched directly away from the backbone line of the hide or skin or at a relatively small angle thereto. This relative movement of the blade carriers continues so that, by the time the rear shank portions are under the blades, the latter are arranged in such manher that they travel in sets at quite an acute angle to the backbone line to operate most effectively on the rear shank portions of the hide or skin, as indicated in Fig. 9. As the hide or sldn on its work support i8 passes away from the bladed belts, the work table 255 is lowered, thus making it possible for a hide or skin on a succeeding work support is to come into proper position beneath the plane of the operative edges of the blades l2. During this interval between one work support l8 and a succeeding work support on the endless conveyor 2%, the blade carriers it are shifted rapidly from the angular relationship shown in Fig. 9 to nearly that shown in Fig. 7. Hence the spaces between the work supports #8 on the endless conveyor 236 are shorter than the lengths of the work supports it. Accordingly there is little delay in presenting one work piece after another for treatment by the sets of blades. fast as a work piece is treated, it is removed from its traveling work support 88 and either receives other treatment or is hung up to dry.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for treating hides and skins, each having front and rear shank portions extending at an angle to the backbone line of the hide or skin, a support on which a skin is to be spread out in extended condition, a plurality of sets of tools, carriers for the sets of tools, means for moving each set of tools along that surface of its carrier which faces the work support and simultaneously with another set of tools along paths extending in directly opposite directions while treating intermediate portions of a hide or skin, and means for moving the tool carriers with respect to each other to change the paths of the sets of tools so that certain sets of the tools operate in the general directions of the axes of one pair of shank portions and along paths at an angle of less than to each such shank while treating other portions of the same hide or skin.

2. In a machine for treating hides and skins, each having front and rear shank portions extending at an angle to the backbone line of the hide or skin, a support on which a skin is to be spread out flat in extended condition with the rear shanks diverging from the front shanks, a plurality of sets of tools for treating the hide or skin, carriers for the sets of tools, means to move each set of tools along that surface of its carrier which faces the work support, and means to move the carriers to position them in line with each other on opposite sides of the backbone line of the hide or skin and to shift the carriers into an angular relationship to each other so that the tools. move along paths in the general direction of the axes of the front shank portions of the hide or skin and subsequently at a different angle to move along paths in the general direction of the axesof the rear shank portions of the same hide or skin.

3. In a machine for treating hides and skins, each having front and rear shank portions extending at an angle to the backbone line of the hide or skin, a plurality of sets of tools for treating the hide or skin, conveyor chains arranged to carry and to operate the tools, the chains be ing arranged in pairs on opposite sides of the center line of the machine, and two of such oppositely disposed chains having their inner ends overlapping so as to leave no portion of the hide or skin untreated, and means for moving the chains to position the latter in line with each other upon opposite sides of the backbone line of the hide or skin to treat intermediate portions of a hide or skin and, alternatively, at an angle: to each other whereby the chains and the tools carried thereby are caused to operate along lines related to the axes of the front and of the rear shank portions of the hide or skin.

4:. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins and leather, 2. work support upon which a piece of work may be placed with the longitudinal median line thereof arranged close to and parallel with the longitudinal median line of the work support, members having tools for operating on a piece of work while it is backed by said work support, means to cause the tools to move from the longitudinal median line of the piece of work inopposite directions along lines substantially at right angles to said longitudinal median line, said work support and said tool-carrying members being relatively movable bodily in the direction of the longitudinal median line of the piece of work, and means to move the tool carrying members to change the angular relation of the path of said tools with respect to said longitudinal median line during said relative bodily movement of the tool carrying members and work support.

5. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins and leather, a work support upon which a piece of work may be placed with the longitudinal median line thereof arranged close to and parallel with the longitudinal median line of the work support, one or more pairs of members having tools movable to operate upon a piece of work while thelatter is backed by said work support, means to move the work support and the piece of Work thereon past said tool-carrying members during operation of the tools on the work piece, means to cause the tools of one ormore pairs of said members to move along the surface of the piece of work in opposite directions from other tools and away from the longitudinal median axis of the piece of work and substantially at right angles to said axis, and means operating in timed relation to said movement of the work support past the tools to change the angular relationship of the paths made by the tools on the work with respect to said longitudinal median axis of the work piece.

6. In a machine for treating hides and skins, each having front and rear shank portions extending at an angle to the backbone line of the hide or skin, a plurality of sets of tools for treating the hide or'skin, carriers for the sets of tools, endless conveyor chains mounted on the carriers and arranged to carry and operate the tools, the chains being arranged in pairs on opposite sides of the center line of the machine, and the space between inner adjacent ends of two oppositely moving chains being staggered with respect to the space between the inner ends of two other oppositely moving chains, and means for moving the carriers to position the latter in line with each other upon opposite sides of the backbone line of the hide or skin and alternatively at an angle of less than 180 to each other, whereby the chains and the tools carried thereby are caused to move along paths at right angles to the backbone line of the hide or skin and also along paths related to the axis of the front and also of the rear shank portions of the hide or skin.

7. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins and leather, a traveling conveyor adapted to support a hide or skin roughly spread out thereon with its backbone line lying parallel to and closely adjacent to the longitudinal median line of the traveling conveyor, two pairs of tool carrying chains arranged to operate upon the work piece on the traveling conveyor during continuous movement of the latter, said chains having operative runs extending substantially in parallelism with each other, and certain of said chains having their inner ends overlapping substantially at said longitudinal median line of the traveling conveyor, means pivotally supporting said tool carrying chains to turn about axes perpendicular to said operative runs of the chains, and power means operated in timed relation to the movement of the traveling conveyor to shift the tool carrying chains about said axes so as to change the angular relationship of the operative runs of the chains with respect to each other and with respect to the longitudinal median line of the traveling conveyor.

8. In a machine for treating hides and skins,

each having front and rearshank portions extending at an angle to the backbone line of the hide or skin, a plurality of sets of tools, carriers for the tools, a cam slide member secured to each carrier, means for pivotally mounting the carriers at their inner adjacent ends, and crank members one for each cam slide and having a part slidably mounted in the cam slide member to support and to move the carriers about their inner pivotal sup-- ports into different angular relationships to each other, whereby the sets of tools may be caused to move along lines leading directly away from each other and alternatively along lines at an angle to each other related to the angles made by the axes of the front and also of the rear shank portions with the backbone line of the hide or skin.

9. In a machine for putting-out hides and skins each having front and rear shank portions extending at an angle to the backbone line of the hide or skin, a plurality of sets of slicker blades, carriers for the blades, a work support movable to carry the hide or skin with the backbone line thereof centrally placed and extending parallel to the direction of movement of the work support, means to operate the blades in sets along paths extending directly away from each other while putting-out intermediate portions of each hide or skin, means to move the carriers at angles to each other related to the angles made by the.

axes of the front and rear shank portions of the hide or skin to the backbone line thereof, and means operated in timed relation to the moving means for the carriers to move the work support to present a hide or skin thereon to said sets of blades, whereby the carriers and blades will 00- cupy successively difierent angular relationships necessary to put out efiectively the intermediate and the shank portions of each hide or skin.

10. In a machine for putting-out hides and skins, each having front and rear shank portions extending at an angle to the backbone line of the hide or skin, a plurality of sets of slicker blades, carriers for the blades, a work support movable to carry the hide or skin with the backbone line thereof centrally placed and extending parallel to the direction of movement of the work support, means to operate the blades in sets along paths extending directly away from each other while treating intermediate portions of each hide or skin, means to move the carriers at an angle to each other related to the axes of the front and rear shank portions of the hide or skin, means operated in timed relation to the moving means for the carriers to move the work support along in a plane below the operative edges of the blades whereby the carriers and blades will occupy suc cessively the different angular relationships necessary. to treat the intermediate and the shank portions of each hide or skin, a table over which the work support is movable to present the hide or skin to the sets of blades, and means operated in timed relation to the work support moving means to raise the table to press the hide or skin against the sets of blades during the operation of the latter on a given hide or skin.

11. In a machine for operating upon hides and skins, a plurality of sets of tools, means for supporting and operating said sets of tools along different angularly related paths to treat suitably different portions of a work piece, a conveyor adapted to support pieces of work for successive presentation to the sets of tools, a table over which the conveyor moves during treatment of a work piece by said tools, means moving the conveyor during the work treating operation, and means operating in timed relation to the conveyor moving means to lift the table to press the work piece on the moving conveyor against the tools during movement of the latter in a work-treating operation.

12. In a machine for putting out hides and skins, a plurality of sets of blades, a plurality of blade-carrying chains arranged in pairs and extending in opposite directions while operating upon an intermediae portion of a work piece, means to shift the bladed chains into different angular relationships to each other while treating other portions of the work piece, a conveyor for presenting successive pieces of work to the sets of blades, a table over which the conveyor moves, means for moving the conveyor continuously to carry the work pieces into position for treatment by the blades and also during treatment by the blades, said conveyor moving means operating in timed relation to the means for angularly shifting the bladed chains into different angular relationships, and means operating in timed relation to the conveyor moving means and to the chain shifting means for alternately lifting and depressing the table to eifect presentation of the work piece to the tools and subsequently to permit positioning of a fresh work piece in place for treatment by the tools while the latter are in a predetermined angular relationship to each other for treatment of the entering portion of such work piece.

. 13. In a machine for putting-out hides and skins, a plurality of sets of blades, a plurality of blade-carrying chains'arranged in pairs and extending in opposite directions while operating upon an intermediate portion of a work piece, means to move the bladed chains into different angular relationships to each other while treating other portions of the work piece, a conveyor for presenting successive pieces of work to the sets of blades, a table over which the conveyor moves, means for moving the conveyor continuously to carry the work pieces into position for treatment by the blades and also during treatment by the blades, and means operating in timed relation to the conveyor moving means to lift the table to press the work piece against the blades during operative movements of the latter.

14. In a machine for operating on hides or skins, a tool, a carrier for the tool, means mounted on the carrier for operating the tool while the latter is in contact with the. hide or skin, a vertical shaft arranged to support pivotaly one end of the carrier, said shaft being driven and having connections to drive the tool operating means, and a second vertical driven shaft mounted in the frame of the machine independently of the first-mentioned shaft and having connections to move said carrier about its pivot point on the first-mentioned shaft, whereby the path of movement of the tool over the hide and skin may be varied to suit the requiremehts'of different portions of the hide or skin.

15-. In a machine for operating on hides and skins, a tool, a carrier for the tool, means mounted on the carrier for operating the tool while the latter is in contact with the hide or skin, a vertical shaft arranged to provide a pivotal support for one end of the carrier, said shaft having connections to drive the tool operating, means, a cam slot member secured to said carrier, and a second shaft parallel to the first-mentioned shaft and having a cam slide connection with said cam slot member to move the carrier about the pivot point furnished by the first-mentioned shaft, whereby the tool is caused to move along different paths to suit requirements of different portions of the hide or skin.

16. In a machine for treating hides and sln'ns, I

a tool movable'over the surface of the hide or skin to treat the latter, a work support movable to present successive portions of the hide or skin to the tool, a table over which the work support moves, means moving the work support along on said table during treatment of the hide or skin by said tool, and means operated in timed relation to the work support moving means to lift the table to press the hide or skin on the moving work support against the tool during operations of the latter on the hide or skin.

. JOHN H. CONNOR, 

